Author: matneym

Originally from Oregon and after a career in the Air Force I ended up settling down in the St. Louis area. I have always taken pictures but seven years ago I decided it was time to really start learning the art of photography. Between work and family what little free time is spent out exploring the region. I am fascinated with nature, the man-made world and the interaction between them. This is especially apparent in all of the urban decay that exists in St. Louis. Nature is reclaiming so many areas while the people who live there do their best to hang on.
I also have a degree in Graphic Design so patterns, shapes, and textures also speak to me.

One of my favourite times of the year for photography is Paint Louis. It is usually held on Labor Day weekend and graffiti artists from all over come in to paint the flood wall south of the Arch grounds. Though there have been some issues over the years with illegal art going up in the city during the event the city is tolerant of the event at the wall. This first image is done by my friend Norm4eva. She is an amazing artist and I am so inspired by her work. More of her work can be seen on her Instagram account. Norm4eva on Instagram

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A different take on a Lotus flower. The sky was completely overcast with low clouds but the sun was beginning to shine through. Most people would should straight on or from above but I wanted to come at it from underneath. Post processing I increased the highlights in Lightroom while boosting the colors just a tad. I am very happy with the results.

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Some friends and I went down to the Mississippi River in front of the Arch Saturday to get some photos of the river as it crested in the current flood. While not at the 1993 level it is the second highest level on record. This shot of the Lewis and Clark statue sums it up pretty well; the river is high!

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The understatement of the year. This is from Alton Illinois, taken on the 1st of June. The red line is the height of the water in the record flooding of 1993. As of today the waters of the Mississippi have exceeded the 2nd highest level on record and are expected to peak at 39.2 feet, which will be short of the 1993 level of 42.7 feet but bad enough for everyone living and working along the river. It will take a long time for the waters to come down, and for the area to recover.